to Ravalli County Commissioners Regarding Sheriff Chris Hoffman Threatening Michael Spreadbury.

" Dear Commissioners,

I had asked for a time to convey this information in person, but feel it better to do so by email.

The current Sheriff, Chris Hoffman has threatened me in person at the Sheriff Office in 2009, has been inappropriate on a telephone call from his county issued phone (406) 375-4001 this month.

On October 10, 2006 Deputy Chris Albright and Lt. Holton answered a call to 291 Cooper Ln. They did not take pictures of all evidence, took a doctored photograph of scratches on the wrong cheek of a perpetrator, made victim by former Co. Atty Corn.

Albright swiveled his microphone on his hand held altering the speech of the interview with me. No pictures were taken of smoke grenades, or broken glass location.

Protecting property, after the Sheriff Department fails to do so (with case # open) is an inalienable right (Art. II s. 3) Montana Constitution.

Fundamental constitutional right means equal protection, not equal brutality of the public in Ravalli County.

On November 4, 2009 Deputy Albright and Lt. Holter kicked in my front door at ..... Hamilton while I was not home.

They were serving a civil service, left no paperwork, left no phone message that they were there.

The damage remained, covered up by RCSO.

While running for office, Joede Vanek and Chris Hoffman discussed an incident where a drunken brawl took place at a UM football game where Deputy Albright used his badge to get out of criminal behavior.

Vanek also told me Deputy Albright used a county computer to access pornography on duty. I believe Joede Vanek.

As commissioners, do we want law enforcement who are above the law?

Do we want a Sheriff who will protect this behavior?

We also know about RCSO felony theft, felony partner assault, and unsolved triple murders from more than 10 years ago.

I don't believe Deputy Albright fits any mold for law enforcement, nor Lt. Holter. They are your employees, and are free to do this to any member of the public until disiplined or removed from duty. Serve and protect is lost on the Ravalli County Sheriff Department.

If you didnt know this already (unlikely), you now know. Your constituents need protecting from this law enforcement behavior, and their chief who does not model any better behavior. Again, he represents Ravalli County.

Michael Spreadbury "

Posted Here by

Crystal L. Cox

Montana Investigative Blogger

Ravalli County Sheriff

"Our Ravalli County Sheriff, Chris Hoffman was featured as the guest editorial writer in the weekly publication, The Bitterroot Star in today's edition. He rewarded a lifetime wife-beater with rehire into the Ravalli County Sheriff Office. This region of Montana is filled with hypocricy and injustice. Deputy McConell is a living symbol of all that is wrong in law enforcement in Montana, under the guise of stopping domestic violence.

As a 2006 victim of Suporters of Abuse Free Environments (SAFE) in Ravalli County Montana, it is difficult to keep hearing these public officials endorsing the rights of victims when they are the ones taking victims rights in their day to day abuse of US Citizen's civil rights in Montana.

Local control means no control of our destinies when corrupt public officials in Montana know they can take anyones rights at their choosing and make them the ultimate victim--of a system that is locked from public control. The more I review Roy Pilkey's spring 2009 letter to the President of the United States concerning Ravalli County (available at www.MTjustice.info) the more it rings true. We have no free press, no rights, and no way of changing the situation. Our very own Gitmo; ranked 48th in the nation for justice and no intention of improving the lives of any victim in Montana, be them in Ravalli County or any other in this state. Victims rights week (or white ribbon week) ends this friday, Oct. 16.

One of these days we may break through to everyone enyoing constitutional freedoms, as well as domestic freedoms. We all have to do our part, which is speaking out about our statewide problem to justice in Montana, and wondering why an Attorney General who is ivy league trained would threaten someone who is attempting to expose these problems we all face in Montana. This is not your run of the mill corruption, it is well protected and established. Until it is toppled, we all are victims to it in our state.

Michael E. Spreadbury, Hamilton, MT"

Source
www.MTjustice.info
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Law Enforcement get Free Pass

In a Sheriff Department where the Undersheriff has problems keeping his fist off his wife, we get delays in justice. Why is it that a law man or woman is innocent until proven inocent in Montana? Do these people have special laws that govern their activity? Do we as citizens needs to mine up some Kryptonite to break this system?

The Ravalli County Sheriff Department (RCSO) has a problem keeping public property public. They have reportedly stolen more than 15, 000 rounds of ammunition, and some weapons. If you or I did that, we would already be serving a minimim of 5 years in prison for a felony theft. The RCSO likes to slap people on the wrist, and re-shuffle their people so nothing will change.

Do these people not realize that they work for and supposedly serve the public?

When I asked to meet with the Sheriff, he made sure to ask my live in girfriend if "she were OK" so he could rescue her from me. How is this sheriff rescuing the public from his deputies?

This episode in injustice merely shows how the Attorney General and law enforcement operate on a different justice system than the People they serve. Montana will have no justice (we are already 48th in the nation for justice) when our law enforcement are given a green light to abuse their spouses, and steal from the public. This is why we need candidates for office who will not tolerate these actions by our law enforcement.

Ravalli County Sheriff Department

The Ravalli County Sheriff Department (RCSO) is currently carrying Taser weapons. The County is also a defendant in Federal Court for 12 alleged counts relating to a civil rights claim. Just recently, a county resident is bringing a case for flooding in the right of way of a Bitterroot River bridge. When liabilities like these mount, the insurance premium we pay as assessed by the Montana Association of Counties increases. This means higher tax assessments.

When asked when and how the buck stops with The Commission, Greg Chilcott explained what was not their responsibility. Can we get a straight answer out of our public servants? These are the same people who sent a scathing letter to the State DNRC regarding the 38 “alleged” violations of floodplain rules in Ravalli County .

It is their responsibility to enforce these provisions, so we may be protected from flood events, and have the ability to obtain loans for many properties that dip below the 100 yr. floodplain elevation. Do we need our own commissioners blocking potential real estate transactions due to an inability to take responsibility for their well paid responsibilities?

While campaigning for Mayor, a family told me of an event where a family rushed a young girl to the hospital by private vehicle due to multiple injuries at the scene. While it is unfortunate the girl suffered permanent injuries, the driver of the vehicle was reportedly tasered by a Ravalli County Deputy at the hospital. In an emergent situation, it is evident that the law enforcement did not assess the situation appropriately? Why are these officers carrying other lethal weapons in a locale were lethal situations are not around every corner? A Taser carries up to 50, 000 volts, and has been fatal in many situations. In the words of a blogger on Digg.com: “Cops should understand that Tasers are lethal weapons in quite a few circumstances and should not be used as a ‘Shut up, its my turn to talk’ tool.”

We have seen an officer in Atlanta who detained a Black man in a hospital parking lot as his mother passed away just inside. While the man could have been cited for running a stop sign, for excessive speed, a reasonable Judge has the ability to dismiss the case with cause under the circumstances. A Ravalli County deputy may not have been trained for 4 hours and “ridden the lightning” for 5 seconds as most trained officers on Tasers have experienced. We simply add more liability to an already dangerous mix in Ravalli County .

We as residents are presented with “local terror” as we contact the law enforcement and judicial system in Ravalli County . This incident was hidden, as are many others to feed the fuel into the system that employs many people in our area. We need not live in fear, nor should we pay for the ineptitude of our public officials, or our poorly trained law enforcement who are more attuned to walking tall with their tazer and sidearm, then thinking though a situation to actually help a voter, taxpayer, and family who pays their salary. `

Law enforcement and adulthood involve thinking through a situation, if possible to protect the officer’s safety, and to best serve the community. This incident reminds us of a norm in Ravalli County ; pinning a crime on the victim: to quiet them, or to teach them a lesson for calling out the law enforcement. Any human being has a voice, a conscience (except sociopaths) and a moral compass. At the time of this writing, I am wondering how an expensive lethal weapon should be added to a force which has demonstrated a problem with trust.

When law enforcement steal from their own department, they have no respect for it. With demonstrated lack of sound decisions, why are these deputies carrying more liability for Ravalli County on their holsters?

This scenario came up as I mentioned the legal duty as Mayor to supervise the police department (MCA 7-32-4103). The last two Mayors of Hamilton have not upheld this duty. When a Doctor is spotlighted on their property, this is not supervision. Since the Ravalli County Commission, or Sheriff refuse to supervise (or take responsibility) for nearly anything, it is up to us to demand better in the voting booth. The city elections are in the fall 2009, county election in 2010.

The public does not need justifications, or false claims on how wonderful its law enforcement is protecting them. We hear and see the truth. It is time Tasers to be removed from service in Ravalli County : for public safety, and for real and ever present liability. How do we pay for these weapons if the budget is constrained? We, as taxpayers pay for your mistakes. How many does Ravalli County need?

Michael Spreadbury
Candidate for Mayor
City of Hamilton, Montana
www.Spreadbury4Mayor.info
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